Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

G. W. BEAVER.

THILL GOUPLING.

Patented Mar. 24, 1885.

v 2 panying drawings, wherein similar letters of I 35 ends of said fore axle, A, are fastened two UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

GEORGE XV. BEAVER, OF MANNS CHOICE, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,357, dated March 24, 1885.

A pplieation filed Septcmbcrlfl, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORG W. BEAVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manns Choice, in the county of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thin-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to thill-couplings; and

; it consists in certain details of construction and arrangement, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to produce a thill-coupling which is simple in its construction and at the same time effective in its action. Also,by the use of a rubber cushion in connection with the coupling, I overcome the noise consequent upon the rattling produced by the shafts while the vehicle is in motion. By these objects I obtain a more practical and beneficial coupling than has heretofore been used or manufactured. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated inthe accomreference indicate like parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a fore axle,sho\ving my improved coupling attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the coupling detached from the fore axle enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line as w of Fig. 1 enlarged.

A represents the ordinary form of fore axle with the usual binding-clips. At each of the smaller clips, B B, to which are secured or cast integral therewith a metal bracket, 0, in which the working parts of my improvement are placed,,and in which the shaft is coupled.

0 One end of this bracket is 'made fast or east with the clip B, and the other end is fastened in any suitable manner to the fore aXle, A. This bracket 0 consists of two parts, one part, 0, being the shaft-recess, and the other part, c,

5 containingthe working mechanism. Through the entire bracket a locking-bolt, D, is passed, which is actuated by a spring, E, and has a short operating-lever, d, at one of its ends,as shown. At the opposite end of the locking- 5o bolt D, to which the operating-lever dis attached, a recess, d, is cut in said bolt, and on (No model.)

its extreme end a lockingflange, d", is cast, which extends half-way across the diameter of said locking-bolt. This locking-flange dflwith its recess (1, engages with a raised portion, 0", of the shaft-coupling end a of the metal bracket 0. On the inside end of the locking-bolt D a spring lockingplate, F, is attached by allowing the said bolt D to pass through it, and at its lower orlocking extremity being bent over to form the lock for the lever (Z. A recess, j, is cut in this spring locking-plate, and the force of the spring resting against said plate keeps it in contact with said operating-lever d. Inopening or disengaging the springplate F a small projection or lug, f acts as a handle therefor. The locking-bolt D is also provided with a pin, (Ff, securely fastened thereto,as shown, and operated by the lever 12. and which engages with a slot,c in the metal bracket 0 in portion 0' thereof. The object of this pin d is to lock the bolt D in an open position when it is drawn back to allow the thill of the shaft to be coupled.

It is obvious that many mechanical changes could be substituted for those shown, such,for instance, as a covering of suitable material for the working parts contained in the metal bracket, to protect them from dust and dirt and the action of the weather. A cushion, G, of rubber or other suitable material, is placed in the recessed portion 0 of bracket 0, immediately back of the shaft-coupling clip, to deaden the rattle of the shafts while the vehicle is in motion.

The operation of my improved thill-coupling is as follows: By shoving the spring-plate F backward by its lug f, the recess f in said plate becomes disengaged from contact with the lever d, and allows it to be turned until the locking-flange d is cleared from the raised portion 0 of the shaft-coupling at c. The locking-bolt D is then withdrawn a sufficient distance so as to allow the thill-recess in bracket 0 to be cleared, and the pin (2 engages with the slot 0* in the portion 0 of thebraeket G. The

thill on the shaft is then inserted in said recess, and the bolt D allowed to shoot back to its position after pin d is released from its recess 0 which it will do through the resiliency of spring E. It is then locked in its position again by the flange (1 looking with the enlarged or raised portion 0" of the recessed portion 0 of bracket 0, when the operatinglever d is turned back and brought into contact with its spring-locking plate F,Which thus secures it and the whole mechanism.

Having thus described my inventionnvhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In athill-coupling, the combinatiolnwith the fore axle, of a metal bracket recessed at one end for the reception of the thill, a sliding locking-bolt operating therein, and encircled by a spring and the bolt-operating lever, and spring-plate locking device, substantially as described.

2. In a thill-coupling,the combination,witl1 the divisional bracket having a sliding bolt encircled by a spring, of the lockingflange on the end of said bolt, the raised portion of the bracket engaging with the lockingfiange, and the means for unlocking said bolt, substantially as described.

3. In a thi1l-coupling,the conibinatioinwith I the divisional bracket having a sliding bolt encircled by a spring, of the locking-flange on the end of said bolt, the raised portion engaging the flange, the spring-plate for releasing and fastening the bolt-operating lever-arm, the pin midway of the locking-bolt engaging with a recess in the bracket, and the rubber cushion, for purposes specified, substantially as described.

4. In a thill-coupling,the combinatiomwith the fore axle, A,having attached thereto a divisional bracket, 0, the sliding bolt D, and its operatinglever d, of a locking-flangadfl on said bolt engaging the raised portion 0 spring locking-plate F, and the rubber cushion G, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE NV. BEAVER.

XVi tn esses:

FRANK LEONARD, HARVEY GREGORY. 

